Doshia Ebbs Fair's Death Record 1873-1937 Friday Furnace Findings

Researching a paternal great grandmother, Jane Furnace born about 1860, to discover her parentage and additional information about her life.

How does she connect to my family tree?
Doshia's mother, Barbara Furnace, may be a sister to my great grandmother Jane Furnace Overton.

Monroe Markhan and Family circa 1920

Monroe Markham b. 1852, and his wife Mary Jane Byrd b. 1855, were my great grandparents. They were the parents of seventeen children, 10 daughters and 7 sons. I think the above picture of the family was taken somewhere around 1920, give or take a couple of years. They also appear to be the same group listed in Monroe's 1920 census household.

The couple's children in their own households around the time this photograph was taken were:

• James married Anna Culver in 1895
• John married Ida Blue in 1896
• Joseph b. 1876, apparently died when he was a child. He was only seen in the 1880 census and does not show in the 1885 or 1892 educable children lists with the other children.
• Eudora "Dora" married Henry Coleman in 1896
• Nellie married Clarence Coleman in 1896
• Octavius married Mamie Culver in 1903
• Willie Lewis married Fredonia Culver in 1913
• Ada married Ernest Spencer in 1914

In 1920, Monroe was 68 years old, wife Mary 63, children; Mary Jane 36, Lou Ella 33, Alice 29 (my grandmother), Mattie 24, Samuel David 22, twins Missouri and Beatrice 20, and Inez 17. They could all read and write except for the mother. They were farmers who rented land from the Buie family in Caseyville, MS.

I based the age of the picture on when the last son married and left home.

• Mary Jane unmarried
• Mattie married John Vaughn in 1921
• Samuel David, the last son at home, married Rosanna Thomas in 1922, which is what helps to date the picture. Samuel was a twin, his brother David died shortly after birth. The parents named the twins Samuel and David. They gave both names to the surviving son.
• Lou Ella married Elijah Howard in 1924
• Missouri died in 1925
• Alice married Daniel Marshall in 1927
• Dad, Monroe died in 1932
• Mom, Mary died in 1937
• Beatrice married Silas Johnson in 1938
• Ina (Inez) died in 1938

I think those in the above picture are: Monroe, Mary, Mary Jane, Alice, Mattie, Samuel David, Lou Ella, Missouri, Beatrice, and Ina (Inez). I am not sure which sister is which.

Photograph courtesy of Rance Brown and Anita Christopher
Direct Descendants of Monroe and Mary

Della Green Missionary Baptist Church Brookhaven, MS

In 2011, I blogged about the little country church when I didn't know the name of the church. Cynthia Thadison Williams provided the name.

Church Founder, Bennie (Benjamin) Green 1878-1958
Husband of Louella Crump 1878-1966

Church Photograph Courtesy of
Lincoln-Lawrence-Franklin Regional Library
100 South Jackson Street
Brookhaven, MS 39601
601-833-3369

Bennie Green Photograph Courtesy of Sarah Kelley
Direct Descendant

Friday Furnace Findings Jane Furnace Overton

Researching a paternal great grandmother, Jane Furnace born about 1860, to discover her parentage and additional information about her life.

The Furnace family of Copiah County, Mississippi, left very little of a paper trail. The only census great grandmother Jane Furnace was found was the 1870 census . She was listed as a 10 year old, born in MS. Her parents may be Alexander Furnace and Charlotte. The next piece of paper to document her life was in 1898.

Jane's first child, a daughter, was born about 1873. The father of the child was Elijah Usher (1848-1925). Elijah was married to my 2nd great grandmother Alice Demyers whom he married in 1869.

• Ollie Usher, 1873-1938, married Emsley Wallace in 1893

The father of Jane's other children was Richmond Overton (Alice Demyers Usher's only child). Oral history whispered the children claimed to be Richmond's are not all his but some are the children of Elijah Usher. DNA tests will have to solve that quandary.

• Mary Brown Overton, 1882-1938, married Pink Jack Brandon
• John Evans Overton, Sr., 1882-1958, married Georgia Rockingham
• Garland Overton, 1883 - ?, married Lethy Dixon
• Haber Overton ,1887 - ?, married Rosa Louie
• Edgar Overton, 1887-1923, married Hannah Gary
• Carrie Overton, 1888-1916
• Severe Overton, 1890-1933, married Wayman/Raymond Flowers
• Gertrude Overton (my grandmother), 1895-1967, married Mike Durr, Sr
• Melissa Overton, 1897 - ?, married Unknown Linson
• Alice Overton, 1900-1929, married McNesse Sanders
• Jean Overton
  Nothing Available

Jane and Richmond legalized their two decades relationship, 02 Apr 1898, Copiah County.

My grandmother Gertrude always said her mother died when she was seven years old, which would date Jane's death between 1901-1903.

Chopping Wood on a Cold Mississippi Day

How much wood would a woodchuck chop for a Mississippi winter? I don't know but I suspect Earnest Spencer knew how much it took to heat his home in rural Copiah County, Mississippi.

Earnest was born in 1881 in Copiah County, died in 1971 in Chicago. He was the son of Lewis and Emaline Spencer.

Homesteading cousins talk about a cord of wood, which they consider more than enough to get through a mild Mississippi winter depending on size of home, how well insulated and the efficiency of a wood stove.

How does Earnest connect to my family tree?
Earnest married Ada Markham. She was a sister of my grandmother, Alice Markham Marshall.

Photograph of Ernest is courtesy of Anita Christopher, Ernest's granddaughter.
Photograph of the cord of wood is courtesy of Wikipedia.

Picture of Ada and Ernest